Week 8 Team of the Week: Manchester

Manchester knows as well as anybody that one victory over a No. 1 team isn’t final. The Blue Devils beat No. 1-ranked Bowdon by one point to open the 2023 season, then lost to Bowdon by one point to end it in the championship game.

Still, Manchester reaffirmed itself as a major contender in Class A Division II again Friday night with a 28-20 victory over Bowdon, which has become the Blue Devils' archrival.

Manchester lost a fumble on the opening kickoff, allowing a touchdown, but found itself up by 14 points in the fourth quarter and held on. Manchester has allowed no more than 20 points in a game this season.

With their new region rival out of the way, at least for the regular season, the Blue Devils are well-positioned for their first region title since 2017 with a 5-1 start overall, 2-0 in region play, under first-year coach Demonta Prather.

Manchester is GHSF Daily’s Team of the Week. The award is sponsored by BSN Sports and Georgia Construction Careers.

Manchester head coach Demonta Prather and the team’s seniors were joined by Erin Kelly and Chase Cooper of BSN Sports for the presentation of the GHSF Daily Team of the Week award.